


The Cregg Interview

by Hackney123



Series: Washington Live [4]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:40:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21731614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hackney123/pseuds/Hackney123
Summary: Christian Salviant having been slaughtered two weeks running by guests on his show Washington Live is due to interview Claudia Jean Cregg. He is hoping that this time the guest will answer his questions with suitable grace and humility. Did I say he was interviewing C.J.
Series: Washington Live [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1527422
Kudos: 7





	The Cregg Interview

**Author's Note:**

> A/N - While you do not have to have read the three previous stories in the series you may wish to find out why Christian is so keen to make a good showing.

Christian bounded onto the set of Washington Live for the latest episode of his show. Until he started interviewing women from the Bartlett and Santos Administrations, he was a feared interviewer. Unless he pulled something off tonight he faced being replaced unless the jump in viewing figures continues. Looking into the camera with a wide smile that hid the inner turmoil he said.

‘Welcome to the show tonight my guest is the Chief Executive Officer of the Hollis Foundation and Former White House Chief of Staff Claudia Jean Cregg. Can you all give her a big hand.’ 

The audience duly started clapping as C.J. Cregg gracefully walked on to the set and greeted Christian with an air kiss before sitting down.

‘C.J. Before you became White House Chief of Staff you were the Press Secretary to President Bartlett. A role you filled for six years. It was quite a jump from Press Secretary to Chief of Staff why do you think the decision was made to overlook two better qualified men and give you the job?’

‘I do not think they were better qualified. You need to remember where we were in the election cycle. Also, this was a second term, so the pressure of re-election was off. But if the Senior Staff were not supportive of a Bob Russell Presidency, they needed to be able to run the campaign for somebody else. That being the case they could not be appointed Chief of Staff if they were going to take a leave of absence shortly thereafter to run a campaign.’

‘I note that President Santos did not offer you a place on his staff even though you were supposedly good friends with his Chief of Staff. Do you think this was because of your role in the Kazakhstan conflict?’

‘Kate and Donna warned me about your dodgy research. As President Santos said in his autobiography From Houston to the White House, he tried to get me to stay. He also recalled that on the day of the Inauguration Josh Lyman made one final attempt to persuade me to stay. Kazakhstan was in fact one of the reasons that President wanted me to stay.’

‘As Press Secretary you were instrumental in a number of coverups. You had the coverup of President Bartlett’s MS and the far more effective coverup of the affair between Josh Lyman and his then assistant now his wife Donna Moss?’

‘I note that you have accused me of the two things I did not have anything to do with covering up. In the case of President Bartlett’s MS as he said in his autobiography it was his biggest mistake in not trusting his staff to tell them about the MS until it was too late. As far as Josh and Donna is concerned most of Congress knew the two of them were in love and the majority would probably have not said anything if they did have an affair. I would remind you that the Inspector General after a two month investigation concluded that there was no affair. I will send you a copy of the report as your researchers obviously missed it.’

‘Turning to the Hollis Foundation it is reported that the Foundation had a budget of $2bn. Most people would think that with that much money it could have provided a large amount of aid. Instead it has been spending its money on building roads and bridges. In areas where they are suffering from drought and famine surely roads are not the priority?’

‘Good thing you do not work in an area which requires intelligence. In those places you are talking about when there is a natural disaster the main problem is that the aid comes in and cannot go where it is needed because the roads have been washed away or are impassable. While others are dealing with the physical needs you mention the Hollis Foundation is making sure it can get where it is needed.

‘You have not gone back into politics since your time in the Bartlett Administration why is that?’

‘I was waiting for the right opportunity and the right candidate. Having spoken to Donna Moss Lyman I have decided to join her Presidential campaign as a Senior Adviser.

‘So, we might see you back in the White House in the unlikely event that Mrs Moss Lyman wins the Presidency?’

‘When Donna wins, I might agree to help her administration, but she has a very capable team.’

Christian noted that he was out of time, so he said.

‘Thank you to Claudia Jean Cregg that is all for tonight do not forget to tune in next week.


End file.
